Vol. 6, no. 1 · Jan 2008 ISSN 1705-1452

NEWSLETTER Published by the Institute for Canadian Music, Faculty of Music, University of Toronto

Editor: Robin Elliott ______

Changes at the CBC

The recent announcement that CBC Vancouver Radio community to conduct an exercise in self-assessment. Orchestra will be disbanded on its 70th birthday is seen The discussion has illuminated varied perspectives on by some observers to be the final nail in the coffin for the function the CBC serves and what its programming our national broadcaster. The CBC is dedicated not to means to its listeners. Perhaps one of the most difficult commercial interests, but to public arts, a rare mandate questions is what this means for Canadian composers in contemporary business practice (and especially in and artists already teetering on the brink of obscurity? broadcasting). Much has changed in Canada since the Being left alone in the Canadian wilderness does not orchestra’s inception in 1938, though, and the CBC is bode well, even in the springtime. unapologetically charting a new course. The question is Unfortunately, the CBC is now playing an not whether the changes should happen, but rather how appeasement game with the Canadian public (whoever they are taking shape and being implemented. they currently conceive them to be) that ultimately Changes in the programming for Radio 2 have exchanges trendsetters for trends. Vincent Spilchuk been announced over the last couple of years. More pop and jazz have been programmed, but traditional The next issue of the ICM Newsletter will have listeners have been promised that a ‘classical core’ will the dateline May 2008. be retained. The Friends of Canadian Broadcasting (as quoted on CBC’s website) are calling it ‘responsible Institute for Canadian Music management,’ but others disagree. Despite the potential Faculty of Music for the changes to address the listening habits of many University of Toronto diverse groups, including new Canadians and young Edward Johnson Building listeners, the CBC is taking the safest route possible. 80 Queen’s Park The possibility of the CBC turning into yet another Toronto, ON M5S 2C5 easy-listening/adult contemporary station comes as a disappointment, regardless of one’s age or background. Tel. (416) 946 8622 Out of these proposed changes, a fascinating Fax (416) 946 3353 discourse has emerged which, though perhaps futile in Email: [email protected] stemming the inevitable tide of change, is providing a Web page: www.utoronto.ca/icm unique opportunity for the Canadian art music PERCY GRAINGER’S CANADIAN REPERTOIRE

Glen Carruthers Brandon University

Prior to 1960, Canadian orchestral repertoire with the Elgar Choir in Port Hope, Ontario, in 1916, was rarely programmed except by Canadian opened with two choral compositions by Clarence conductors, such as Geoffrey Waddington (1904- Lucas (1866-1947), who was one of Canada’s best- 1966), Jean-Marie Beaudet (1908-1971) and Victor known composers, followed by Grainger playing Bach- Feldbrill (b. 1924). Indeed, the situation today is much Busoni’s Prelude and Fugue in D major, BWV532, and the same. Nonetheless, a handful of internationally the Choir singing Dett’s Listen to the Lambs. renowned foreign conductors programmed Canadian As Grainger explained in a letter to his mother, music in the period 1913-1958. To this list, which ‘No one I had met seemed to know Dett was Canadian, includes the Frenchman Paul Paray (1886-1979), the & I felt stirred to do something for him, & focus German-born William Steinberg (1899-1978), and the attention on his composition, so during the Bach English-born conductors Sir Adrian Boult (1889-1983) applause I held up my hand & said: and Leopold Stokowski (1882-1977), may be added … Of course Clarence Lucas is famous the Australian-born musician Percy Grainger (1882- throughout the whole English speaking world, 1961), who conducted the Toronto Philharmonic but perhaps you do not all know that R. Orchestra in two Canadian works in 1946. Nathaniel Dett is also a Canadian (cheers). I Grainger was responsible for introducing the think he was born near Niagara Falls.2 He is a works of many composers to a wider audience. As Negro, a great friend of mine, & a highly gifted Grainger himself explained in a letter to the music musician and composer. He is head of ... music journalist and critic, D. C. Parker: at Hampton Institute, Virginia, & he is doing I think it might be said that I was the first to magnificent work. It is lovely for me to have this conduct any of the large works of Delius in opportunity of hearing these works here.’3

America (I did, for the 1st time in America, ‘The This was, according to Grainger, the first time he had Song of the High Hills,’ Piano Concerto, Cello ever spoken to a concert audience, since at least at this Concerto, North Country Sketches), … the first stage in his career he ‘had a horror of public speaking.’ to bring forward Arthur Fickenscher’s marvelous He was moved, however, by a ‘passionate wish that ‘The Seventh Quintet’ [‘The Seventh Realm’ – Canadians should know [Dett was] born in Can[ada].’ 4 ed.], the first to present Grieg’s ‘Norwegian Grainger’s little speech included the Folksongs’ Op. 66 & ‘Peasant Dances’ Op. 72 in observation that ‘[A]s an Australian I am naturally many lands, the first to popularize the Canadian particularly interested to hear the works of Canadian Negro composer N. Dett’s ‘Juba Dance,’ & the composers.’5 Although Dett’s works were the only American folkpieces of David Guion, the first to Canadian compositions featured in Grainger’s recital play Carpenter’s Concertino for piano & repertoire, he did have occasion to conduct two orchestra (1916, Chicago), [and] the first to play Canadian works in Toronto in 1946. Albeniz in several countries.1 Prior to the concert of 21 May 1946, Grainger Grainger’s admiration for the Canadian composer had appeared many times in Toronto, first in 1912, and Nathaniel Dett, who was born in the same year as most recently on 16 Nov. 1945 at a concert with the Grainger (1882) and died in 1943, is well documented Toronto Symphony Orchestra led by the redoubtable in Grainger’s own writings. It is evident that Grainger Sir Ernest MacMillan. That concert, at Massey Hall, knew many of Dett’s works, and he included two featured Grainger in the triple role of pianist, conductor movements of In the Bottoms Suite – an excerpt from and composer. He led the orchestra in his own ‘English ‘Prelude’ (Night) and ‘Juba Dance’ – in his concert Waltz’ and ‘Norse Dirge’ (both from Youthful Suite) repertoire. with Sir Ernest playing the piano parts, and then Grainger was well aware of Dett’s Canadian background at a time when Canadians themselves 2 Dett was indeed born in Drummondville (now Niagara Falls), knew little of Dett or his music. A concert by Grainger Ontario. 3 Percy Grainger, ‘To Rose Grainger,’ 12 February 1916, letter 3 of Gillies and Pear: 19. 1 Percy Grainger, ‘To D. C. Parker,’ 26 April 1933, letter 30 of The 4 Percy Grainger, ‘To Nathaniel Dett,’ 6 March 1925, letter 20 of All-Round Man: Selected Letters of Percy Grainger 1914-1961, ed. Gillies and Pear: 74. Malcolm Gillies and David Pear (New York: Oxford University 5 Percy Grainger, ‘To Rose Grainger,’ 12 February 1916, letter 3 of Press, 1994): 114. Gillies and Pear: 19. 2 Grainger and MacMillan traded places, the former think you will like it. The principal viola for the playing the piano in Handel in the Strand and in ‘Proms’ this year is Stanley Solomin [the correct Fauré’s Ballade for piano and orchestra.6 spelling is Solomon – ed.] – who was discharged Shortly after the concert, which was a great last year from the army just too late to be success, Sir Ernest forwarded to Grainger a copy of engaged by us but who has been playing this Saturday Night, which contained a review by Hector season with an American Orchestra.10 He is an Charlesworth.7 Grainger responded, conveying the excellent violist and can be counted on to do the happy news that he had been invited to reappear in solo part justice.11 Toronto the following month: Grainger thought that Ridout’s Ballade sounded ‘like You gave me such a wonderful time in Toronto just the thing’ and it was added to the program.12 + were so kind in every way that I cannot thank The concert, presented at Varsity Arena before you enough. As a result of all you did I have an audience of over 5000 (including Sir Ernest), been asked to both play + conduct one of the comprised the works cited in Grainger’s letter, with the Promenade concerts, on May 23 [the actual date addition of Shepherd Fennel’s Dance by H. Balfour was May 21 – ed.], + I think I will give an ‘all- Gardiner (British, 1877-1950), Britannia – A Joyful English-speaking music’ program, play Overture by Violet Archer (Canadian, b. 1913), and the Addinsell’s Warsaw Concerto + Morton Gould’s aforementioned Ballade for viola and string orchestra American Concertette, + conduct some ‘English by Godfrey Ridout (Canadian, 1918-1984). Paul Gothic Music’ (13th century to Bach) + the Scherman conducted the Addinsell and Gould works whole of my ‘Youthful Suite’ (of which ‘Norse while Grainger was at the piano, but Grainger Dirge’ + ‘English Waltz’ are the 3rd + 5th conducted the remainder of the program.13 movements).8 I would much like to do a Both Archer’s and Ridout’s works had already Canadian work. Can you recommend one to me? received several performances. Britannia – A Joyful ... I would be so grateful if you could make a Overture (1941) had been broadcast, with Sir Adrian suggestion to me.9 Boult conducting, on the BBC on 19 March 1942 and ‘the work was later recorded and broadcast by the BBC Three days later Sir Ernest wrote back: 14 to the armed forces in Europe.’ Ridout’s Ballade Before your letter arrived I had already heard (1938) had been premiered in Toronto by the Melodic from Ernest Johnson who manages the ‘Proms’ Strings conducted by Alexander Chuhaldin, with Cecil and had recommended that you include in your Figelski as soloist, on 20 May 1939 and subsequently program a Ballade for Viola and Orchestra by ‘had probably as many performances as any serious Godfrey Ridout, a young Toronto composer. It is Canadian composition.’15 Nonetheless, that Grainger about seven minutes in length and shows some had programmed not one, but two Canadian works, and influence of Delius and other composers but I comparatively recent ones at that, was unusual.

6 It is likely in conjunction with this concert that one of Canada’s most important composers, Murray Adaskin, recounts the following 10 Solomon ‘was briefly with the Baltimore, Columbia Music anecdote: Festival, Columbia, and Toronto Philharmonic orchestras before My brother John was sent by Sir Ernest MacMillan to pick joining the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in 1946.’ ‘Stanley Grainger up at the railway station, and bring him to the Solomon,’ Encyclopedia of Music in Canada, 1992 ed. MacMillan home in Rosedale. When John met Grainger, he 11 Sir Ernest MacMillan, letter to Percy Grainger, 12 Apr. 1946, Sir was carrying a rucksack as he emerged from the station. Ernest MacMillan fonds, Music Section, Library and Archives [He] threw it in John’s car, and said I’ll walk to the Canada, Ottawa. MacMillan’s. John gave him the directions and (full of 12 Percy Grainger, letter to Sir Ernest MacMillan, 15 Apr. 1946, Sir surprise) saw him off. When [Grainger] arrived at the Ernest MacMillan fonds, Music Section, Library and Archives MacMillan’s, he was told his room was up a flight of stairs, Canada, Ottawa. which he ascended by jumping (or hopping) on one foot all 13 Archer’s Britannia – A Joyful Overture should be added to the the way up! catalogue of works conducted by Grainger, published thirty years Murray Adaskin, letter to the author, 7 Aug. 1995. Grainger had ago in The Grainger [Society] Journal; Ridout’s Ballade is already first stayed at the MacMillan’s home in 1938. See Ezra Schabas, Sir listed. See John Bird, ‘Percy Grainger’s concert repertoire,’ The Ernest MacMillan: The Importance of Being Canadian (Toronto: Grainger [Society] Journal 1.2 (December 1978): 33-43. Archer’s University of Toronto Press, 1994): 93. work is also not included in Elizabeth Wright, ‘Percy Grainger’s 7 Hector Charlesworth, ‘Percy Grainger, Gerhard Kander as soloists concert repertoire,’ The Grainger [Society] Journal 2.1 (July 1979): with the T.S.O.,’ Saturday Night 61.12 (24 Nov. 1945): 44. 20-23, or in Malcolm Gillies, ‘Further consideration of Grainger’s 8 The concert marked the first Canadian performance of the concert repertoire,’ The Grainger [Society] Journal 5.1 (December complete Youthful Suite. 1982): 26-29. 9 Percy Grainger, letter to Sir Ernest MacMillan, 9 Apr. 1946, Sir 14 ‘Violet Archer,’ Encyclopedia of Music in Canada, 1992 ed. Ernest MacMillan fonds, Music Section, Library and Archives 15 Allan Sangster, ‘Grainger leads varied program at third Prom,’ Canada, Ottawa. The Globe and Mail (Toronto, 22 May 1946): 4. 3 The concert received extensive coverage in the Canadian music, including Paul Paray (who premiered local press and there appeared in The Globe and Mail works by Rodolphe Mathieu in Paris in 1913 and 1918), of 22 May 1946 four photographs, including one of Sir Adrian Boult (mentioned above, and who had also Violet Archer and Godfrey Ridout (both of whom premiered a work by Barbara Pentland in London in attended rehearsals and the concert), another of 1945), Leopold Stokowski (who led an all-Canadian Grainger displaying to members of the orchestra an program at Carnegie Hall in 1953), and William enlarged, multi-coloured score which he had prepared Steinberg (who premiered a work by Oskar Morawetz for ease in conducting, and a third of Grainger and in Philadelphia in 1956 and conducted Paul McIntyre’s Stanley Solomon taken during the performance of Judith in Vancouver in 1958), may be added the name Ridout’s Ballade. The same issue of the paper of Percy Grainger. It should not be forgotten that published a review by Allan Sangster16 and an article Grainger’s efforts on behalf of his colleagues included on the Proms’ ‘thorny path to success.’17 promoting the work not only of many British22, Neither John H. Yocom, the critic for Saturday American23 and Scandinavian24 composers, but also Night since Hector Charlesworth’s death in December that of Canadians Violet Archer and Godfrey Ridout. 1945, nor Sangster were impressed by Archer’s work. The former noted that the piece was intended to Glen Carruthers is Professor of Musicology at embrace ‘the light-hearted spirit of freedom, the sense Brandon University, where he served as the Dean of of humor of the British people, and the bond of the School of Music from 1998 to 2008. He has given friendship between Canada and Britain,’ but that ‘an conference papers and guest lectures across Canada overture which tosses around the Rule Bri-tann-ia and the United States, and in Australia, England, theme and a couple of French Canadian folk tunes in France, Ireland, Malaysia, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, and musical double talk hardly achieves the intention.’18 Vietnam. His previous writings on Percy Grainger’s Sangster was also curt, commenting only that, ‘joyful activities in Canada include ‘Percy Grainger and did not seem to be quite the exact adjective.’19 Louise McDowell’ (The Grainger Journal, 1995), Rose MacDonald, writing in The Evening ‘Percy Grainger in Winnipeg’ (A Celebration of Telegram (Toronto), disagreed. She called the Overture Canada’s Arts, 1996), ‘Percy Grainger Remembered – a ‘robustly merry little work’ and opined that, ‘One Alma Brock-Smith talks to Glen Carruthers’ (Piano cannot help but listen to it with good humour.’20 Journal, 2004), and ‘Percy Grainger and the Schubert Augustus Brindle, in the Toronto Daily Star, reported Choir of Brantford, Ontario’ (Anacrusis, 2006). that after the performance Archer was ‘hailed to the spotlight by Grainger; [she is a] vivacious young brunette, previously unknown here.’21 It is to Grainger’s credit that he introduced Violet Archer and her music to Toronto audiences. All four Toronto critics at the concert – Yocom, Sangster, MacDonald and Brindle – thought highly of Ridout’s Ballade and its soloist, Stanley Solomon. None does more than mention the fact that Grainger conducted, although, since they warmly praised the performance, it can be assumed that Grainger’s conducting was more than adequate. Ridout, like Archer, was brought to the podium by Grainger to receive an ovation. Accordingly, to the list of illustrious conductors of the past who displayed at least a passing interest in

Godfrey Ridout, ca. 1950 16 Allan Sangster, ‘Grainger leads varied program at third Prom,’ Source: T.S.O. News 3.9 (Oct. 1951): 15 The Globe and Mail (Toronto, 22 May 1946): 4. 17 Eva-Lis Wuorio, ‘Proms climb thorny path to success,’ The Globe and Mail (Toronto, 22 May 1946): 15. 22 Frederick Delius, H. Balfour Gardiner, Cyril Scott, Roger Quilter 18 John H. Yocom, ‘Canadian composers, conductor and soloist et al. match Grainger,’ Saturday Night 61.39 (1 June 1946): 26. 23 John Alden Carpenter, Henry Cowell, Fannie Dillon, Arthur 19 Sangster (as n.16). Fickenscher, David Guion, Daniel Gregory Mason, Lewis Slavit et 20 Rose MacDonald, ‘Percy Grainger charms house by folk music,’ al. The Evening Telegram (Toronto, 22 May 1946): 37. 24 Edward Grieg (Norway), Selim Palmgren (Finland), Herman 21 Augustus Brindle, ‘Composers in person make Prom highlight,’ Sandby (Denmark) et al. Toronto Daily Star (22 May 1946): 21. 4 snowSongs by vivienne spiteri

(please note that all styles & formatting in this article were intended by the author) the story begins many moons past in a faraway land, ancient – life cycle of the inuit people (for me, music – when one who sailed from « the silver »1 to the white besides other things – is drama. it has always seemed land, told tales of an ancient people of elemental self-evident that the role of space (and what is existence. ramon pelinski, ethnomusicologist and fashionably known today as « spatialization » ) is musician, was speaking of the inuit2 of northern canada fundamental and crucial to dramatic expression and to whose essential element, snow, goes by many names.3 the shaping of a narrative, if and where there is one in at once life-line and death-trap, the inuit’s ability to an organic acoustic sculpture. where live instrumental identify snows through naming could be for them, a music is concerned, space as a dramatic device can matter of life and death. prove complicated, difficult and next-to impossible to control (indeed, here, space can become an enemy to i listened wide-eyed, fertile ears sprouting tendrils of music). the studio proves to be the perfect tool for song. circumventing such obstacles in order to attain an ideal.5 where electroacoustic undertakings are decades would pass before i would actually hear, see, concerned, the space-as-dramatic-device problem feel and touch what i had never forgotten : that in seems, for the most part, non-existent). northern canada at least, snow falls, blows, lingers and rests by different names, sounds, textures, colours, preparations weights and forms. and it became possible because in how did the project come to be? at the time, i knew 2002, the canada council for the arts launched a trial next to nothing about northern canada. what i did know fund called artists in the community collaboration was that i was intrigued by the poetry of snow’s having fund 4 that targeted the kind of work involved in such a different names and therefore different voices. so i set project : the artistic collaboration between artist and out to learn everything i could about northern canada, members of a community. in my case the latter were to its history, the inuit people’s way of life, their art, their be older people – the elders – those who had once lived environment, traditions, beliefs etc., in particular and experienced a life « on the land », a land whose during the period prior to their enforced settlement by myriad snowS i wanted to hear and capture, and though the government (at the time i was barely aware of that inextricably linked, my interest and priority in going « event »).6 i watched films, consulted documents – north were these disappearing sounds rather than a books, reviews, magazines, pictures – at the libraries disappearing ancient way of life. these sounds would of the canadian cultural centre and l’espace culturel be used to compose a 40-minute acousmatic work, one inuit (both in paris), attended lectures, exhibitions and whose form, content and spatial architecture would expositions on the north, visited art galleries and unfold according to the dramatic, traditional – and museums that possessed any kind of northern collection, raided bookstores, contacted the department 1 argentina. the name argentina (from Latin argentum: silver) was of indian and northern affairs, the canadian embassy in first used extensively in the 1612 book historia del descubrimiento, paris, the canada council, spoke to anyone whom i población, y conquista del río de la plata (history of the discovery, thought might be able to suggest source material and population, and conquest of the río de la plata) by ruy díaz de guzmán, naming the territory tierra argentina (land of silver). northern contacts, checked the internet regarding lists traditionally, the british english name for the country is ‘the of names for snow in english, french, inuktitut, as well argentine.’ as information about the different northern 2 « inuit » is the plural of « inuk » which means « person », hence communities (at that point, i still didn’t know which « people » northern community i would go to). i covered areas of 3 there are different dialects in the north so words, spellings and pronounciation may change from place to place. in linguistics, inuit language regarding snow-naming is a contentious issue. for further 5 my 1998 solo double cd « the door in the wall…instrumentS discussion on this subject see : martin, laura (1986). ‘eskimo words d’illusion ? » is an excellent example of this; here, in recording and for snow: a case study in the genesis and decay of an mix, i infused purely instrumental scores by brian cherney, rodney anthropological example.’ american anthropologist 88 (2), 418-23. sharman and françois rose, with 6-channel spatial parameters – pullum, geoffrey k. (1991). the great eskimo vocabulary hoax and what i call « microphony » – as a dramatic device. other irreverent essays on the study of language. university of 6 a sensitive subject for all concerned that has left its mark all chicago press. spencer, andrew (1991). morphological theory. around. in the 1940s and 1950s, the international political situation blackwell publishers inc, p. 38. sparked the canadian government to establish territorial sovereignty 4 today called « artists and community collaboration program » over the north. life for the inuit has never been the same since. 5 exploration, science and scientific research, nunavut department of education in that town was very electromagnetism, environment, mythology, politics, active in sponsoring such projects that involved elders geography, sculpture, music, visual arts, literature, with youth. as i read on i became aware of another language, astronomy, weather, nordic survival, thread that would enrich and complete my architecture, animal migration, sewing, sound, and of collaborative tapestry : the youth of the town would be course, snow. i became a sponge, absorbing the receivers of what knowledge about snow sounds information, until slowly the germ of an idea began to the elders would share with me. snowSongs now take shape and light, meaning and focus. as i became a three-way collaboration, between elders, progressed in my search, two things became clear: first, youth and artist. the artistic process was the medium that central and essential to the project were the elders, through which ancient knowledge would pass down to people at least 50 years old. they were the key, the youth. past and present would meet with a promise for temples of experience, knowledge and memory of a a future. way of life who would lead me to the snowS. without them the project couldn’t exist. secondly, the questions within 24 hours, my letter explaining the project to the of environmental deterioration came inevitably to the nunavut department of education in arviat, received a fore. not only were the sounds of snows fading because prompt, positive and enthusiastic response. students inuit people no longer lived a life that conjured them, from the high school would participate and the but also because the elemental itself was in danger, department itself had in its employ a team of elders subjected to processes of abuse and destruction.7 whose role it was to create written documents about snowSongs then, would be a melancholy tribute to inuit ancestry, life values and well-being, and to head both, their swan song.8 up and inform student outdoor activities that sought to acquire traditional inuit knowledge. four of these elders collaboration – rhoda karetak, donald uluadluak, mark kalluak and one of the canada council’s application requirements louis angalik – were assigned to my project, and, since for this programme is a written confirmation by the i didn’t speak inuktitut, nunia qanatsiaq, language collaborating partner of its participation in the project. coordinator, also in the employ of the nunavut my next step then, was to seek out my community. department of education, acted as our much- again, all i knew was that i wanted to go as far north as appreciated translator. gord billard, the drama teacher possible, in as cold a location as possible and/or at the qitikliq secondary school, and back bone of the somewhere in nunavut. i searched out and wrote to undertaking, elicited interest from students jordan numerous northern government departments, konek, patrick pingushat, albert napayok, darren eetak, organizations, elders societies, politicians. little interest evano aggark and veronica kidlapik. we had our team. overall. towards the middle of the last month preceding three months later the canada council lent its support the application deadline, i came across a northern and snowSongs was on its way. student web-site that had been set up as part of a school project in arviat.9 in it i read about the desire and equipment determination of elders to pass down ancient selection of stereo recording equipment was the next knowledge to the young people of the town.10 the thing to consider, and after lots of reading and talking to people, i chose to do things simply, and to go with what i knew best, felt most comfortable with and have 7 so altered was the already-unpredictable (but previously always found highly dependable (albeit only in normal negotiated) northern environment in 2006 (i was there from mid- february to mid-march 2006) that even some of the oldest and most temperatures!): digital audio tape. from montreal i experienced of elders, those who had lived on the land for a rented two tascam portable dat machines (the second considerable length of time as adults before the « settlements », one as a backup), purchased an audio technica 824 expressed reticience and fear about ever going back out onto the stereo microphone (which turned out to be a huge land. the intimacy and complicity between inuit life and the land, that had once been so essential for survival, was no more. disappointment), and took along my two audio 8 my diptych « anahata » and « snowSongs » concern endangered technica 3031 mono mics for which i bought rycote elements (silence and snow respectively). wind screens. but i had no experience in extreme- 9 arviat (« place of the bowhead whale »), formerly eskimo point temperature recording and i’d heard all kinds of horror (until 1 june 1989) is located on the western shore of hudson’s bay, stories about batteries freezing, running out of them, 61° 7" 0'n, 94° 3" 0'w, 280 km north of churchill, population just over 2000. cables stiffening and breaking, condensation causing 10 although the historical circumstances and consequences are entirely different, the general time-frame is the same (mid-20th century) and the desire parallel: as with survivors of war camps, the inuit elders embody experience and memory, and northern memories. with good reason: there are precious few remaining communities are taking measures to record and safeguard those people who harbour them. 6 machines to malfunction, and so on. for all these them.12 i realized too that the best way to get a potential problems i received good advice: comprehensive picture of all the sounds associated with 1. take a drink cooler to put the dat machine into while the different snow names would be by reliving the you’re out on the land. it’s one additional insulation inuit’s life experience of them. in fact, reliving the inuit layer away from direct cold. 2. place dat machines life cycle would give us everything: snow and non- inside seal-top plastic bags inside the cooler and put snow sounds of living, including sounds connected to desiccant sacks inside the plastic bags. desiccant mythology and shamanism (which interested me very absorbs moisture and prevents condensation upon much).13 returning indoors. 3. put hot packs on the batteries before you go outside; these keep the batteries warm in my correspondence with the department of and working. 4. as an additional precaution, to avoid education, i had requested and suggested that the those sudden temperature changes that can cause process be filmed, and so, under the supervision and equipment to crack and contract, do not take the sometimes example of cameraman michael angalik, the equipment directly into a heated house from the cold, students shared in the filming. as for recording, the but let it sit in an unheated inside-outside porch for an second dat machine originally intended as a back-up, hour or so before taking it into the heated indoors. came in handy for the students to try their hand at 5. not much, if anything, can be done to prevent cables sound recording (although the recorded sound utilised from stiffening in extreme temperatures. just be very in the acousmatic work comes solely from my careful not to bend them so that they don’t break. recordings). in addition, the students performed tasks 6. take a soldering iron and small tool kit in case cables with snow that proved physically too difficult for the do break and need repairing. 7. take extra cables.11 i elders, so that in the end, the students had lots to do: followed all this advice. during one month of recording film, record, locate and contact elders and perform in -40° to -20°C temperatures, nothing ever snow tasks, and through this, learn by experience in an malfunctioned, broke, cracked, condensed or froze, and enriching and active way. the soldering iron remained unused. the key is to keep equipment as consistently warm and dry as possible. i the unfolding of the inuit life cycle that was to guide also went over-equipped and weighed-down with extra the progress of the project had been established before i dat tapes, batteries, cables, hot packs and desiccant. it left for the north and would perhaps need some was worth it: were anything to have gone wrong, modification once i got there, depending on the replacements would have been unavailable up north. availability of people, time and materials, and on the cooperation of the weather. i figured out the form of the project the acousmatic piece first and from that, worked how was the project to unfold with so many different backwards by tracing it onto the organization of the words for the different snows? how would the students activities that would follow the narrative of the piece, participate so that they weren’t just passive onlookers? so-to-speak. the unfolding began with myths: the and what about the snow, in what contexts would we creation myth, the myth of light and darkness involving hear it? the raven and the fox, that of the appearance of two male humans through two clumps of earth, and the during the months of study leading up to the canada transformation of one of them, through the power of council application, i had learnt about the cycles of inuit life, the roles different people played within 12 all elders and contributors – other than those employed by the communities, the importance of children as bearers of department of education – were remunerated through the budget of continuity and of the future, the impact of a complex the canada council grant. mythology, the inuit’s relationship to, dependence on 13 the inuit were converted to christianity by european missionaries and use of animals, the passing of time, and the joys (who also invented the written inuktitut syllabary), and unfortunately, my mention of shamanism resulted either in giggles and dangers of daily survival. this wealth of inuit or in a hushed refusal to speak of it. the subject has become more- experience implied that sounds other than snow sounds or-less taboo. sonic references to shamanism in the acousmatic would be relevant to the project. also, because of this, piece snowSongs are the result of imaginary musings based on elders other than those from the department of films and readings about inuit mythology and shamanism in education would have to be found to demonstrate the general, most notably mircea eliade’s shamanism – archaic techniques of ecstacy. in 2006, igloolik isuma productions released non-snow activities. the students helped in locating a film that touches on the subject of shamanism called the journals of knut rasmussen, which, following a first screening in igloolik on march 12, 2006, opened the toronto international film festival on september 7, 2006. more indepth consideration of this subject can be found in john houston’s and peter d’entremont’s documentary 11 thanks to doug quinn and john houston for sound advice. films arctic trilogy. 7 thought, into a female and thus, procreation, followed by the buzz game, by the later acquisition of the jew’s by the violent myth of the sun and the moon. sonic harp , and by the almost inaudible sounds of string imaginings of these myths were enacted – as they games. back outdoors, good travelling snow was would be on a professional film set, but where for us, identified and dog sleds were set up and directed over sound was the protagonist – and recorded from the terrain where the sounds of the sled-rails scraping different perspectives (for instance, from inside and against this hardened frozen lake snow were captured. outside an igloo), after which we pursued practical life- danger was flirted with as we approached a thinning ice on-the-land sounds such as searching for a snow ideal the further we went. we left the sleds and with for igloo building (illusaq), testing it with a sounder for harpoon-like tools prodded the ice as we tested – depth and consistency, and with a pana (a snow knife) aurally, visually and by touch – for a solidity that cutting it out into blocks (auviq) and building (part of) would support our weight. eventually the liquid was an iglu. we then searched for a different kind of snow encountered and as i stretched the microphone pole good for the patching up of spaces between the igloo forward one of the men went ahead balancing himself, blocks (we gathered this and did the patching). ice as gracefully and confidently as a circus artist, on a cutting and chipping took us to yet another location dislodged piece of floating ice from which he dunked a where an ice window was carved out of the ground ice, caribou skin into the water, there to stay overnight. on removed and installed into the snow-house. elsewhere, another day, on another lake – tingmiasiuvik lake, 10 fresh water ice pieces for the purposes of melting and miles north of arviat, to which we travelled by ear- cooking (for tea or boiled food) were also chipped out. splitting metal-cavitied bombardier, a snow-terrain the elders in our team wore seal-skin boots (qamiks ) vehicle of the 1950s and 1960s used by the canadian and the variation in the sound of their walking on the government – an ice hole (for fishing) 5 to 6 feet deep different snows intrigued us all. modern snow boots was chiselled down until the lake water spouted up. make such a racket just in the touching of the snow at small pieces of floating chipped ice were removed with the placement of the foot that any discreet sonic result a metal spade – the excess water gently dripping off the is obliterated. we recorded the sound of putting on the spade back into the water hole – and thrown aside. caribou coats, and the sound of this fur brushing once the water in the hole was clear and cleared, a against the snow. life-on-the-land sounds also included thread tied to a wooden handle-like object was lowered the traditional work of women: a qulliq (a stone for jigging. and then there are the winds, as diverse in horizontal lamp used to cook food, to heat and light the direction as they are in force, texture, violence, voice igloo, and to dry clothes) being filled with oil and effect on snow forms and human skin. one thing (traditionally seal blubber), having the moss that was to that eluded us was the scurrying activity of lemmings hold the flame arranged therein (moss which we’d in their under-ice network of tunnels. these then are gone to gather another time – far out on the open land just a few examples of snow sounds involved in the on a bitterly cold and blistering windy day – and which project which nevertheless, did not unfold without pierced through the low snow drifts of that particular some disappointments: one was the absence of the place), and being lit; also: scraping and cleaning skins much sought-after bow drill, and another, our inability with an ulu (a ¼-moon shaped knife), and sewing them. for this we recorded the rhythmic and hypnotic caribou inuit band who had originally lived in the ennadai lake area. sounds of rhoda karetak sewing caribou skin, albeit in 1949, the ihalmiut were relocated by the government of canada without the authentic ancient bone needles and sinew to nueltin lake. however, hunting was poor at nueltin and over time thread, which are no longer available. at the elder’s the people returned to ennadai. in 1957, the government again moved the ihalmiut, now numbering 59 people, to the henik lake centre, sounds of cutting raw meat with an ulu and then area, 45 miles from padlei, the closest trading post. the henik group the chewing of it were recorded. passing time was split in two early on. their lot was often dramatic and tragic, as in represented by sounds of carving antler into an ayagaq, the famous case of kikkik, a mother of 5 children – all suffering object of play, and the playing with it, by drum dancing from starvation – who was criminally charged by the canadian legal 14 system. eventually judge john sissons dismissed all charges against and singing (both throat singing and ay-ya-ya songs ), her (see mowat, harley eber, karetak). one inuk man admitted to me that perhaps the two single « advantages » to the inuit’s 14 the throat singing i was interested in was not so much that which « induction » into canada was the health care system**, and not we have become rather accustomed to hearing (almost to the point having to face starvation again. (**in cases where people from the of cliché), but that which was sung into a large pot, creating an north become seriously ill, they are transported south by air to the eerie resonant halo around the sound. the students located « super nearest hospital. this is called « med-evac » and because of the high granny » for this, an older elder and the last surviving member of cost of flying to and from the north, it is for some, the only time the ihalmiut tribe* that eventually had been relocated to arviat in they go/will ever go south. in the fifties and sixties, this going south 1957 by the royal canadian mounted police when they were found – depending on the seriousness of the malady and the time spent to have been dying of starvation, which, according to some, was a away from home – would provide the ailing person with a total cyclic phenomenon, and to others, became so, only consequent to exposure to the english language; elders who speak fluent english the arrival of europeans in the north (*ihalmiut [ahiarmiut], a today are those who have had this experience). 8 to make, even on a small scale, a traditional sled with one immense and two smaller supermarkets, that carry runners made out of frozen fish, meat and peat moss, everything from chocolate bars to skidoos and building and cross bars made out of antler and bone.15 material, contribute loud local radio broadcasts while you shop,19 and the same cash register beeps, clicks into the present and rings as any other down south. indoors, homes are the narrative needed to come unstuck from ancient white-washed with the hum of furnaces 20 and fridges, time. it needed to reflect the (inevitable?) evolution of toilet flushings, electrical appliances, more radio and ancient traditions into the present. and inuit life has wallpaper tv. sculptors carve with shrill electric tools, evolved, for better or worse, into a relatively as-yet- and thermometers and radio weather reports replace the young present with all the contemporary (and noisy) stepping out to sense and feel the weather silently. sounds of « civilization » that this entails. the erosion – outside, the majestic winds still howl, but their a relatively abrupt and brutal one, which for inuit, still message is no longer identified or searched out by the cuts to the quick – of the traditional ways, and the housed inuit. the furies must strain against the roar of disruption of the natural balance and order of things, oil delivery trucks, the rumble of snow plows and of turned out to be, for my purposes, artistic convenients course, the irascible growling skidoos. towards an enrichment of the sound palette. if i were to describe today’s north sonically, i don’t and what is this present? fewer dog sleds, for one.16 think i’d be far off the mark in saying that it is blaring four-wheel drives and skidoos that transport people to white. and from school, shops, the community centre, the elders’ centre and neighbours’ homes, creating each acknowledgements : one, their own rush hour bedlam (and this in a town the « south » : whose distance between the two furthest points is a ramon pelinski, john houston, doug quinn, paul dolden, tim twenty-minute walk).17 skidoos also transport hunters brady, frederic laugrand & louis-jacques dorais (laval university, department of anthropology) out on the land, often resulting in mechanical breakdown which sometimes – coupled with the nunavut (the « north ») : general lack of survival knowledge especially among department of education : shirley tagalik, sue ball, michael the young18 – results in loss of life. small and large angalik, eric anoee jr., donald mearns, nunia qanatsiaq and elders : donald uluadluak, mark kalluak, louis angalik, rhoda airplanes – oppressive as airplanes are – carry the sick karetak south and the healthy all about. electricity, electric qitikliq secondary school : gord billard, billy ukutak. sculpting tools, satellite dishes, antennae, radio and the students : jordan konek, patrick pingushat, albert napayok, omnipresent television-set, abound, producing sound. darren eetak, evano aggark, veronica kidlapik everywhere sound. if it weren’t for the absence of other elders and contributors : super granny, mary akjar, asphalt linking the north to the rest of the planet, the helen and james konek, richard tutsweetok (string games), north would be a place without distinction. in arviat, lucien kabvitok (sculptor), jimmy muckpaw, guy and emma angalik, mary anowtalik and son david (elder’s centre), nick 15 the bow-drill was a tool used to pierce holes, and sometimes as a arnalukjuak (visitors’ centre), mick mallon (inuktitut teacher) fire-starter. it was small and needed the mouth to hold the vertical financial support and human resources : the canada drill, one hand to bow the vertical drill and the other to hold the council for the arts. nunavut department of education. object to be pierced. later, thanks to nick arnalukjuak who let me in to the normally winter-shut visitor’s centre, i was able to locate remnants of one, use it and record it. we also played and recorded a modern and richer-sounding-though-artificial-skin drum. as for the sled, the person who had begun construction of it for our project was called away in the early stages, and we were unable to complete the expert-demanding task. 16 inuit today tell of their dogs having been slaughtered by the rcmp (who still supply a presence in arviat) at the time of the settlements 17 it is perplexing to me that people whose lives had been surrounded by and immersed in the unobtrusive sounds of the forces of nature, and whose hearing apparatus was so refined as to be able to hear the minutest of sounds so necessary for survival, do not seem to suffer from the noise of « civilization ». 19 18 attempts to correct this deficiency and to reclaim inuit survival in fairness, local radio is a community life line knowledge are being made. courses in northern survival are given 20 these are located on the ground floor of the house, in a side or at the qitikliq secondary school and taught by the knowledgeable back room, since homes in the north have no basements. this is due and experienced billy ukutak. today, many hunters (those who can to the permafrost layer that exists beneath the surface of the land, afford it) also depend on their global positioning system gadget but which, also, due to climate changes, is slowly beginning to (gps). melt, emitting, besides other toxic gases, methane. 9 bibliography : mowat, farley. (1959) : the desperate people. seal books / mcclelland and stewart limited, toronto. eliade, mircea. (1964) : shamanism – archaic techniques of ecstacy. netsilik eskimo series (films) (1967) : education development centre inc. of princeton university press. princeton (originally published in french newton, massachussets, in association with the national film board of as : le chamanisme et les techniques archaïques de l’extase) canada. fiala, anthony. (1907) : « fighting the polar ice ». in bulletin of the american paroles inouis : contes inuit. (2004) : collection « la grande oreille ». geographical society, vol. 39, no. 1. american geographical society. presses universitaires de france, paris. harley eber, dorothy. (1997) : images of justice: a legal history of the saladin-d’anglure, bernard. (1990) : « frère-lune (taqqiq), sœur-soleil northwest territories as traced through the yellowknife courthouse (siqiniq) » in études / inuit studies, volume 14 no. 1-2. collection of inuit sculpture. mcgill-queen's native and northern series. soundscapes, dreamscapes. (2002) : inuit circumpolar conference. royal canada. ontario museum, toronto and nunavut research institute, nunavut. houston, john & d’entremont, peter. (2000-2006) : arctic trilogy. triad wiebe, rudy. (1989, 2004) : playing dead. a contemplation concerning the films. http://www.houston-north-gallery.ns.ca/film.htm arctic. NeWest press, edmonton. imaginaires du grand nord. (2003) : collection « chemins d’étoiles ». wilkinson, paul (chairman). (1984) : sikumiut: the people who use the sea transboréal, paris. ice. : canadian arctic resources committee. jenness, diamond. (1928) : people of the twilight. university of chicago

press (1959) karetak, elisapie, kreelak, martin & gjerstad, ole. (2002 ) : kikkik, e1-472 vivienne spiteri is an independent musician, (film). inuit broadcasting corporation, ottawa. instrumental and recording artist of music of our time laugrand, frédérique, oosten, j (ed.). (2001) : « travelling and surviving on our land ». inuit perspectives on the 20th century, vol. 2, iqaluit : at the harpsichord. she also composes electroacoustic nunavut arctic college. music, and writes about music and sound. les inuit de l’acrtique canadien. (2003) : collection « voix de la her web site is: http://www.isidorart.qc.ca francophonie ». cidef-afi, université laval. macdonald, john. (1998, 2000) : the arctic sky. royal ontario museum and see pp. 15-16 for images related to this article the nunavut research institute.

Review

Gillian Mitchell. The North American Folk Music Revival: Nation and Identity in the United States and Canada, 1945-1980. Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2007. 222 pp. ISBN-10: 0-7546-5756-6. $89.95 (cloth).

Despite the popularity and iconic status of musicians particularly welcome to those interested in how the such as Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Gordon Lightfoot, revival played out in Canada, and the following review Ian and Sylvia, Bruce Cockburn and Murray is written with that interest in mind. Nonetheless, it McLauchlan, surprisingly little has been written by should be noted that Mitchell’s bi-national approach scholars about the folk music revival in Canada.1 and her special attention to themes of national identity Gillian Mitchell’s recent book, a chronological history are new contributions to existing revival scholarship, as of the folk revival in both the USA and Canada, helps is her perspective as a cultural historian rather than a to fill this void. Although it is bi-national in scope, musicologist or music critic. because a significant amount of scholarship on the US A broad historical scope and rich cultural context of the revival already exists,2 this book will be contextualization are hallmarks of Mitchell’s study from the outset. In the first chapter, ‘Defining the 1 Nicholas Jennings’ popular history of the Yorkville scene, Before People’s Songs,’ she situates the folk music revival of the Goldrush: Peace, Love and the Dawn of the Canadian Sound the 1950s and 1960s as one episode in a long history of (Toronto: Penguin Books Canada, 1998), describes the people, interest in folklore and folk music in North America. events and atmosphere of this era but provides little critical commentary. Robert Wright’s article ‘“Dream, comfort, memory, Beginning in the mid-nineteenth century, she despair”: Canadian popular musicians and the dilemma of chronicles a wide variety of folk-related activity of nationalism, 1968-1972’ in Beverley Diamond and Robert Witmer, roughly a hundred-year period with surprising clarity. eds., Canadian Music: Issues of Hegemony and Identity (Toronto: She includes the work and perspectives of influential Canadian Scholars Press, 1994): 283-301 offers a fascinating scholarly analysis of stylistic and national themes in this revival but folksong collectors (eg. Child, the Lomaxes, the is limited in scope. Seegers, Creighton, Barbeau); ground-breaking 2 See for example, Neil Rosenberg, ed., Transforming Tradition: initiatives which popularized folklore and ethnic Folk Music Revivals Examined (Chicago: University of Illinois pluralism (eg. the Federal Writers’ Project and the Press, 1993); Robert Cantwell, When We Were Good: Class and Canadian Pacific Railway concerts); and the Culture in the Folk Revival (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1996); Benjamin Feline, Romancing the Folk: Public radicalization of folk repertoire by left-wing Memory and American Roots Music (Chapel Hill: University of movements (eg. the Popular Front, People’s Songs North Carolina Press, 2000); and Ronald D. Cohen, Rainbow Incorporated and various secular Jewish organizations). Quest: The Folk Revival and American Society (Boston: Massachusetts University Press, 2002). 10 Here, as in later chapters, Mitchell’s unique of styles and degrees of proficiency. And finally, it is approach to the topic is to untangle the ways in which crucial to understanding why white, middle-class, this repertoire was imagined by those interested in it, urban and suburban youth were drawn to the and especially how it was conceived in relation to movement in both countries, since folk music’s national identity. She argues that in both countries a eclecticism offered a sense of authenticity and non- British-centric understanding of folklore was conformity that many of them craved. By tracing these eventually replaced in the first decades of the twentieth sociological aspects in both Canada and the USA, century by a fascination with local folk cultures and a Mitchell’s history offers a welcome counterpoint to celebration of ethnic diversity and pluralism. How and histories that concentrate on star performers and hit when this shift took place and which non-British songs of one country alone. cultures were given attention in each country provide ‘Folk Music and the Community in “The an interesting juxtaposition and demonstrate clearly Village”’ looks at two of the most famous folk revival that ‘folk’ and ‘nation’ are constructed concepts: in the neighbourhoods, Greenwich Village and Yorkville. USA, white and black working-class cultures of the Mitchell adds to existing knowledge of famous south and west were understood as the nation’s ‘folk,’ personalities and coffee houses of this scene by versus Quebecois, Native and various European examining the group identities of the idealistic immigrant cultures in Canada. This chapter of the book communities formed in each, which were remarkably is heavily weighted to the American side of the story, similar. Although developed in distinct ways, the two and its Canadian perspective could be elaborated ‘villages’ emerged in the early 1960s as bohemian substantially. Nonetheless, her comprehensive cultural centers in which people believed that folk introduction to revival history is succinct and engaging. music could help bring about the utopian dreams of The boom years of the revival are scrutinized equality, peace, and community. (Both declined in the in the second chapter, which spans the period from the late 1960s when biker gangs, drugs and rock and roll Kingston Trio’s commercial hit ‘Tom Dooley’ in 1958 were introduced and folk singers who had found to Dylan’s controversial ‘electric’ performance at the commercial success left to pursue recording careers). Newport Folk Festival in 1965. Canadian perspectives Although much of the worldview and behaviour of are much more in evidence in this chapter. Indeed, one these communities is well known, Mitchell’s account of the more interesting discussions considers the extent offers both a socio-historical context and a critical to which the Canadian revival was merely derivative of perspective often missing from other histories of these American trends. She rejects the false dichotomy that neighbourhoods. She points out for example that Canadian revivalists need to be understood as either despite the emphasis on equal opportunity and the copycats of their American counterparts or as architects central roles being played by black and women of a unique new ‘Canadian sound’ and suggests instead performers in the movement, village communities were that the Canadian revival was certainly heavily not as equitable as they imagined. Even as a ‘stunning indebted to the American revival but also drew on kind of mutual self discovery’ was brought about unique local scenes and a complex array of both between black performers and white audiences, black commercial and traditional influences. The background musicians were still often viewed in romanticized provided in the first chapter, which elucidates some of terms as oppressed but noble master musicians (123). these unique local and traditional resources, helps to And while women achieved an unprecedented level of make this argument convincing. popularity and success as performers, they were As her chapter title, ‘Visions of Diversity: frequently evaluated in terms of their looks, behaviour Cultural Pluralism and the “Great Boom” of the Folk and sexuality in a community in which ‘cultural Revival,’ suggests, a running theme in her account of freedom was very much defined by male villagers’ the revival’s heyday is the value it placed on (125). multiplicity and pluralism as markers of authenticity. One of the more fascinating insights of Mitchell’s unpacking of the revival’s history through Mitchell’s bi-national study is her juxtaposition of the this lens brings a fresh and engaging perspective on the different conceptions of the relationship between folk topic. As she compellingly argues, this interest in music and nationalism in Canada versus the USA in the diversity led revivalists of this period to conceive of late 60s, a contrast she clarifies in the fourth chapter, folk music in North American (rather than national) ‘The Post-Revival Folk: Canadian Dreams and terms, seeing it as a manifestation, in the words of Pete American Nightmares in the Late 1960s and 1970s.’ Seeger, of a ‘rainbow-patterned’ continent (68). It also According to her analysis, in the optimistic climate of helps explain the success of the main avenues of folk Centennial celebrations and in the wake of the success revival activity – coffee houses, folk festivals, and stories of artists such as Mitchell, Young, Lightfoot revival magazines – which allowed for a wide variety and others, folk music began to be understood by 11 Canadian journalists and fans (if not the artists musical groups affiliated with the United Jewish themselves) as a uniquely Canadian genre, and the People’s Order (UJPO) argued that the pluralistic work of Canadian folk artists as having a uniquely programming of folk music (common in both countries ‘Canadian sound.’ Conversely, the tumultuous political during that era) was a reflection of Canada’s diverse atmosphere of the late 1960s in the USA resulted in multi-ethnic culture, and as such uniquely Canadian. deep pessimism and disillusionment that made the In contrast to later nationalist discourse, this idealism of the folk revival seem naïve and irrelevant, construction of nationalism focused on multicultural and pushed many musicians to more personal (rather programming rather than on a particular timbre, style than political) lyrics, to experiment with newer or subject matter and was articulated long before the emerging rock styles, and retreat both from folk music heady nationalism of the late 1960s.5 Most of the and discussions of nationalism. While many of the musical groups affiliated with the UJPO (Toronto ideas she presents about the US side of this story have Jewish Folk Choir, UJPO Folk Singers) remained been given elsewhere, the ‘Canadianization’ of folk relatively unknown, but The Travellers, whose roots music in Canada during this era has received were also in this organization, achieved national surprisingly little scholarly attention.3 Her critical recognition. Their iconic Canadian version of ‘This analysis of the development of a nationalist discourse, Land is Your Land’ and their enthusiastic inclusion of which described a unique “Canadian sound” as gentle, Canadian content during the late 1960s, and during acoustic, folk-based, and concerned with themes of their Centennial tour in particular, should have been nature, is both convincing and fascinating, and goes a included in the book’s discussion as an illuminating long way toward explaining how folk music grew to foil for the more famous Yorkville musicians who have a special place in the Canadian cultural identity turned to more personal writing in the late 1960s and after the late 1960s. shied away from nationalistic labels. The final chapter, ‘Folk Since the 1970s: Generally speaking, Mitchell’s history is well- Diversity and Insularity,’ rounds out the history of the written and engaging, although the book’s origins as a folk revival by considering how in the 1970s the doctoral thesis6 are obvious in the dry introduction, hodge-podge eclecticism of the boom era shifted which lays out the themes and terms of her study and towards revivals of specific distinct traditions, such as offers a review of the literature in the field, and in her Irish, Klezmer, and Maritime music. Although this propensity to repeat main points at the beginning, chapter is once again heavily weighted to US content middle, and end of subject headings. The book will be (giving a paltry three-sentence synopsis of the ‘gloom useful to anyone interested in North American folk and anxiety’ of this decade in Canadian history), she music, but especially to those who are already familiar provides a credible argument that these trends in folk with the names, places and songs of the revival and are music were related to the escapism and self-reflection interested in a cultural historian’s take on the topic. It of the 1970s, and that interest in individual traditions in also would work particularly well as a text for those the 1970s paved the way for the world music industry teaching a course on folk or popular music who are of the late 1980s and beyond. Curiously, the theme of interested in including Canadian material. national identity, which is carefully woven throughout Benita Wolters-Fredlund her history, is suddenly dropped in this last chapter. Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan This is a shame – an analysis of the extent to which, for example, Klezmer music was conceived in US terms or Maritime music in Canadian terms would have been a fitting and potentially interesting end to the book. On the whole I am impressed at the breadth of the history offered in The North American Folk Music Revival and I am convinced by her arguments. I am disappointed however that her history does not include a more thorough account of the contributions of Jewish and/or left-wing groups in Canada to this revival Genre Comes of Age’ (originally broadcast 13 July 2008) which generally and to constructions of national identity in argues that Fagel Gartner’s UJPO Folk Singers were a pivotal folk music particularly.4 Most notably, in the 1950s, influence to Canada’s revival. 5 Benita Wolters-Fredlund, “We Shall Go Forward with our Songs into the Fight for Better Life:” Identity and Musical Meaning in the 3 Robert Wright’s article is a notable exception (see n. 1). History of the Toronto Jewish Folk Choir, 1925-1959 (Ph.D. diss., 4 In his five-part CBC radio documentary, ‘The People’s Music,’ University of Toronto, 2004), 113-25. Gary Cristall describes the important contribution of Jewish and 6 The Nation and National Identity in the Folk Music Revival left-wing organizations to the development of folk music in Movement of Canada and the United States from 1945 to 1980 English-speaking Canada. See especially the second episode, ‘The (Ph.D. diss., University of Toronto, 2004). 12 Obituaries

Roma McMillan Many of Morawetz’s works have become (b. Lachine, QC 5 July 1911; d. Ottawa 4 July 2007) standard repertoire internationally, with performances by over 130 orchestras and acclaimed soloists such as The Canadian fiddler Roma McMillan (née Clarke) Yo-Yo Ma, Glenn Gould, and Ben Heppner. In 1984 suffered a stroke and died one day shy of her 96th the CBC released a seven-disc anthology of his output. birthday. Beginning at the age of seven, she studied Morawetz received some of Canada’s highest classical violin and piano, leading to a relatively short awards for his work as composer and he was the first stint as a second violinist in the Montreal Philharmonic composer to receive the Order of Ontario in 1987. He Orchestra 1929-35. Her departure as a newlywed for also received the Order of Canada in 1989, an honorary Elma, Ontario in 1935 marked a turning point, as her diploma from the Royal Conservatory of Music in husband suggested that she pursue a musical style more 1998, and the Queen’s Jubilee Medal in 2002. His accessible to her new community. Thus she began a daughter Claudia said of her late father, ‘We also career as one of Canada’s premier fiddlers. remember his generosity towards others, his love of After taking up traditional music, McMillan hearing and telling a good joke, and his endearing would earn (beginning in the 1960s) over 175 prizes in absent-mindedness.’ the next 40 years, including Most Entertaining Fiddler A memorial concert was held at Walter Hall in at the Canadian Open Championships in 1988 and a Toronto on 28 June 2007 with performances of works Canadian Grandmasters Fiddle Championship lifetime by Morawetz and spoken tributes from Anton Kuerti, award. She was inducted into the North American Jan Matejcek, and Claudia Morawetz. Links to the CBC Fiddlers Hall of Fame (1984), the New York Fiddlers recording of this event, together with comprehensive Hall of Fame, and the Ottawa Valley Country Music information about the composer’s life and music, is Hall of Fame (2003). Into her 90s, McMillan continued available at www.oskarmorawetz.com. V.S. to perform at prestigious events such as a 2001 concert for the then-Governor-General Adrienne Clarkson, and Douglas Brian Riley in 2003 she made an appearance on The Tonight Show (b. Toronto 12 April 1945; d. Calgary 27 Aug. 2007) with Jay Leno. Vincent Spilchuk Doug Riley, affectionately known as ‘Dr. Music,’ died Oskar Morawetz of a heart attack at the age of 62 while departing (b. Svetla, Czechoslovakia 17 Jan. 1917; d. Toronto 13 June 2007) Calgary airport after headlining the Calgary Jazz & Blues festival. The prolific composer, arranger and Renowned Canadian composer Oskar Morawetz died keyboardist began taking lessons as a child at in Toronto at the age of 90. Morawetz fled the Nazi Toronto’s Royal Conservatory of Music, later earning a occupation of Europe in 1940 and came to Canada Bachelor of Music in composition from the University where he studied piano at the University of Toronto. of Toronto. While preparing to embark on a Master’s He taught at the Royal Conservatory of Music and at degree in composition and ethnomusicology (his University of Toronto, but it was as a composer that interest in First Nations music, particularly of the Morawetz would garner his critical acclaim. Iroquois, would be expressed in his later recordings), Oft-cited for his lyricism, energetic rhythm and Riley’s moonlighting as R&B keyboardist in Toronto novel exploration of instrumental colour, Morawetz, in nightclubs led to his working with the legendary Ray his fifty-plus years as composer, completed over 100 Charles, appearing as arranger and second keyboardist orchestral and chamber works, and earned numerous in his 1968 LP Doing His Thing. awards including two Junos for classical music, and the Riley would go on to establish himself as a 1966 Critics Award in Cava dei Trirena, Italy. His pillar of the Toronto music community, performing, accessible, Romantic approach supported his penchant writing and arranging music for classical, jazz, blues, for themes involving past and contemporary tragedy, R&B, and commercial settings. Through the 1960s and most poignantly expressed in works such as Memorial 1970s, he wrote over 2,000 commercial jingles and was to Martin Luther King for cello and orchestra (1968, involved in musical production for numerous television shortly after the civil rights leader’s assassination), shows. His own 16-piece vocal/instrumental group From the Diary of Anne Frank (1970, based on the Doctor Music had a string of top-20 hits through the famous diaries of the Jewish girl in Nazi-occupied same time period, and his considerable musical Holland), and Prayer for Freedom (1994, based on the influence and personality led to his acquiring of the anti-slavery poems of Frances E.W. Harper). band’s moniker as his own. 13 While writing pop, jazz, and commercial works. During his time in the USA he composed two music, Riley also composed three ballets for the ballets for Butler University’s ballet department, and National Ballet, a double concerto for flute and string won the Benjamin Prize for his 1956 Nocturne (which quartet (for Moe Koffman), and a piano concerto for was performed by the North Carolina Symphony Mario Bernardi’s retirement from the National Arts Orchestra) and the first prize at the Syracuse Fine Arts Centre Orchestra, among other works. The tenor Festival for his brass quartet Mosaic. Placido Domingo commissioned an arrangement of In 1964 he moved to Canada to teach at the Tchaikovsky’s None But the Lonely Heart from Riley University of Toronto, and soon after he was preparing and recorded it with the London Symphony Orchestra. a CBC radio series on Schoenberg, Berg and Webern. Other notable collaborators include Ringo Wuensch began composing for the accordionist Joe Starr, Anne Murray, David Clayton Thomas, Bob Macerollo, including Alberta Set and Prelude, Aria and Seger, the Brecker Brothers, Gordon Lightfoot, Ofra Fugue (1971), contributing greatly to modern Harnoy, and many others. He was loved and admired accordion repertoire. He composed for piano, chamber by such luminaries as jazz keyboard legend Herbie groups, orchestra, band, soloist and orchestra, and Hancock and Paul Shaffer, musical director of chorus; one of his grandest was the Laus Sapientiae for television’s Late Show with David Letterman. orchestra, brass group, several choirs, three soloists, Riley established the PEI Jazz Festival in the and organ, broadcast in celebration of the University of 1990s, was named jazz organist of the year from the Western Ontario’s Centennial Anniversary in 1978. annual Jazz Report Awards continuously from 1993 to After his retirement from UWO in 1991, 2000, and was awarded the Order of Canada in 2004. Wuensch continued to compose, and his works Nice V.S. People (1991), Pygmalion (1995) and Scherzino (1996) were all premiered in London, Ontario. His Psalm 150 Gerhard Joseph Wuensch for baritone, brass, choir and organ (1992) was written (b. Vienna or Klosterneuburg, Austria 23 Dec. 1925; for the 400th anniversary of the installation of an organ d. London, ON 8 June 2007) at the Monastery of Upper Waldhausen, Austria. He composed many pedagogical piano pieces for children. The composer, pianist, musicologist and educator Wuensch was an associate of the Canadian Music Gerhard Wuensch died at the age of 81. He studied Centre, the Canadian League of Composers, and the piano as a child, but since he was one-quarter Jewish Composers, Authors and Publishers Association of finished his studies at home after the 1938 Anschluss; Canada. V.S. nevertheless he was drafted into the German army in World War II, and spent most of his service in Denmark, after which he was briefly taken as prisoner of war by the Russian army.

After the war Wuensch obtained his Ph.D. in musicology (completing his dissertation on the German composer Max Reger at the University of Vienna in 1950) and diplomas in piano and composition (from the Academy of Music in Vienna, 1952), and spent a few years as a freelance pianist and composer for the Austrian radio network. On a Fullbright scholarship he moved to Austin in 1954 for post-doctoral studies with Paul Pisk and Kent Kennan at the University of Texas. From there Wuensch began a long and prolific teaching career, working at Butler University, Indianapolis (1956-63), University of Toronto (1964-9), University of Calgary (1969-73), and finally the University of Western Ontario (1973-91) where he acted as chairman of the theory and composition department 1973-6. He also won a Canada Council research fellowship in 1972 for work on his book on Reger, later published in 1989, entitled Max Reger (1873-1916): A Second Look. As a composer Wuensch was much lauded for his varied and prolific output, generally considered a ‘practical eclectic’ for his reflective and commentative 14 images for snowSongs figures 1 to 4 are reproduced here courtesy of gord billard, drama teacher at qitikliq secondary school, arviat.

Figure 1: team members from left to right : gord billard (drama teacher), evano aggark (student), vivienne spiteri (sound), patrick pingushat (student), albert napayok (student), michael angalik (camera). missing from photo, students jordan konek, darren eetak, veronica kidlapik

Figure 2: the bombardier vehicle

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Figure 3: super granny throat singing into casserole

Figure 4: the past meets the present with hope for the future: louis angalik in caribou skin, listening back to his snow-block cutting sounds

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